Ophthalmic mounting



Aug. 21, 1945. E; M. SPLAINE OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Original Filed Jan. 3, 1958 Patented Aug. 21, 1945 OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Edward M. Splaine, Southbridge, Mass, assignor to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass, a voluntary association of Massachusetts Original application January 3,l938, Serial No.

182,936. Divided and this application June 1941, Serial No. 400,419

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings and has particular reference to novel construction thereof.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 182,936, filed January 3, 1938, now issued as Patent No. 2,256,502.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an ophthalmic mounting having the major portion of its parts supporting the lenses before the eyes positioned above the useful field of vision, and so related with the lenses that a portion of said parts will be relatively inconspicuous and substantially invisiblewhen the mounting is viewed from the front.

Another object is to provide anophthalmic mounting with parts supportingthe" lenses extending from the upper temporal edges of the lenses to the nasal sides of said lenses so as to be above the normal line of straight ahead vision through the lenses, and so constructed as to retain said parts in desired relation with the lenses. I Another object is to provideya novel construction of mounting wherein the parts may be -quickly and easily assembled.1

Another object is to provide a novel construc tion wherein the parts may be quickly and easily description, taken. in connection with the ac-,

companyin drawing, and it will be apparent that many changes may be niadein the details of construction and arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wishto be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, as preferredforms only have been given'by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawingz Fig. I is a front elevation of an ophthalmic mounting embodying the invention; Fig. II is a plan view of the mounting illLlS'. trated in Fig. I; 1

Fig. IIIis a fragmentary perspective View of the temple and end piece construction of a slightly modified form of the invention, looking I in the direction indicatedby, the arrows III-III in Fig. I;

. the lenses.

Fig. IV is a view generally similar to Fig. III showing a modified construction;

Fig. V is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on line V+Vof Fig. I;

Fig. VI isa view generally similar to Fig. IV showing a further modification;

Fig. VII is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken as on line VII-VII of Fig. III;

Fig. VIII is an enlarged'fragmentary sectional view taken as on line VIII-VIII of Fig. IV;

Fig. IX is a view takenon line IX-IX of Fig. XI;

Fig. X is an enlarged sectional view taken as on line X-.-X of Fig. IV; and

Fig. X1- is a view generally similar to Fig. III

showin a further modification.

The usual designs of prior art ophthalmic mountings embodied two major constructions, one commercially known as a frame-type mounting and, the other as a rimless type mounting.

Rimless type mountings were exceptionally desirable from the aesthetioal viewpoint as they were relatively inconspicuous on the face. They were also desirable from the optical viewpoint because they provided unobstructed vision through the major portion of the contour edges of the lenses. Such mountings, however, were relatively delicateand very susceptible to be- ,coming broken during use. This was due mostly to the fact that the supports for such mountings were relatively small and were connected directly to the lenses at the nasal and temple sides of saidlenses and employed noadditional means. The strain,,such as is introduced when flexing temples outwardly during the placing of the mounting on the face or during the removing of the mounting from the face, was directed solely to said relatively small attachments and in many instances suchstrain was sufficient to break the lenses.

The above difficulties were greatly eliminated in frame-type mountings, as the strain created by flexing the temples was distributed throughout the contour edges of the lenses. This, however, required the use of rims which completely surrounded the lenses and, although desirable asregards the relieving of strain, these rims restricted vision throughout the contour edge of ouswhen in position on the face.

It, therefore, is one of the primary objects ofv this invention to overcome the above diflities by providing novelmeans of supporting the lenses so that all of the desirable features of both the frame and rimless type constructions The rims were also quite conspicu will be retained and the undesirable features thereof will be eliminated.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the device embodying the invention comprises, broadly, a pair of lensesi 1 having bar-likexsupportsxZ extending about the upper peripheral edges thereof. The bar-like supports 2 have an angled under surface '3 which is inclined so that the .10 bin-like projection 22 is fitted in telescopic relaplane of said surface intersects the -plane-of..

the upper surface of said bar-like portions adjacent the front thereof, and iiextends' downwardly toward the rear surfa'ceyto produce a under-surface 3 is fitted in .close-arelation-r-withtriangular cross-sectional shape." Tli'e'zinclined a similarly inclined edge surface-'4 -.'which-is formed substantially throughout the upper contour edge of the lens and which extends from .a point adjacent the upper temporal side 'of'the' lens to a point adjacent the upper-nasal sideof the lens. edges 4 and-the bare-like portions 2 'is such that the said bar-like eportions. wvill die behind-the in-clined" edges- *4 andrrwill .-.be :relatively incon front.

' spicuous when the mountingnis viewed from the Each of "the" bar likesnembers.:2 is provided with adepending portion' 5 which .extends'down Wardly" of the nasal-side? of' each' lensandwhich:

i s" shapedsubstantially-to :the contour shape of the lens at said location. The portions -5rarerc secured to suitable lenst strapszxor lens. holding means 6, which are in .turn'secured-tothe lenses..

by "connecting means 1- =1 'which extend through aligned openings inathedens-.strapsand lenses.-

The. :connecting: .means. may ,-be a screw... pin, or

The relation:.-of-the-upperinclined" pin and tube -held inassembledrelation bysolder.v v

or other suitable means.

The bar-like portionsi2 are each provided-withan: outwardly. and rearwardly. vextending..temp1e support =8 adjacent who-temporal ends. thereof. The-=supports 8 are each-providedwith .az-hinge.

connection to which. suitable tem-ples-.9 .are at.-

tached. The-supports 8 .-as. .shown..in -Figs....I. and II are-provided :with =b'race.. means. ll which.-..

extend forwardly from adjacent -the..hinge .con-.

nection to .a I "portion. .1 l shaped to. overlie the...

frontsurfaceof the dens... The..portion I is. se.-.

cured to the .lensaby suitable connecting. means.

extending. through-aligned openings. in. said. .por.-.

tion! I. and. .lens. These brace. members .provide means -for. retainingnthe bar-likeportions .2 in.

desired aligned .relation with the upperv .periph.

eral edges of. the. lenses. during ,use..

The dependingnportionseti .as showniin .Figs. I and.II= providemeansto.whichsupporting. arms I3 --for..nose pads ..I4are secured.-. Thesaid .de.-

pending portionsi also provide. means. to. which the depending portions l5 of bridge,.memb.er. [6 are .secured. The...said depending. portions l5 provide. relatively long surface contact with portions.5 Iand.-.thereby .provide' a durable construction. Thesaid .portions.|5 may be secured to the...por.tions .5 -.iby soldering. welding ,or other suitable means...

In Figs. .III. -and=.VII there is. shown. a slightly modified form .of the inventionwherein .the barlike..portions.- 1 I1. corresponding. to... the bar-like portions 2 areprovided.with'idownwardly outwardly and rearwardlyextending temple. .sup- P01135218 .formed-integrallywithsaid portions l 1. Each .of-said portions. I8 is provided-with a barlike brace- 19 whichis secured to the .portion 18 adjacent-the. ..free ..end (thereof and .Jwhich extion..with.a. tubular member 24 having an enlarged flange-like head portion which is adapted to overlieztheiopeningiin the lens. The pin 22 and tubular member 24 are secured together by heatzsoftenable binding means, such as solder,

or. other suitable adhesive.

In Figs ...-IV, VIII; and X, there is shown a fur theramodification wherein the bar-like portions 25, corresponding to the portions 2 fitted about the upper peripheral edges of the lenses, are provided...with..downwardly, outwardly-and rearwardly. extending integral temple-supports 26,. similar to the supports".-. The..\said-.supportsv 2& -are. provided .-.with;.bar.-like. brace..means.- 21

whichlare secured to. the portions..26 along.. the.. meeting edges.28. in-Fig-. X.by soldering or other;-

suitablemeans. The. portions .26. .and 21' .are .in angular. .relation-..with. each .otherandare rein.-

forced throughout..thein -joined-. edges. ;28...by..-an

internal block .29, which.is.secured .to. said por= tions 26' .and121' .bysolderonlike. means..,.-The portion .21.isprovided with-an. extension .30. which overlies and engages .the .edge .of...the.-lens. and is also provided with'aportionBlshaped .to.ov.er-

lie and engage, the.'re-ar.surface. otthe lens..- The portion .3l'. .is provided .with an.opening aligned with an opening -32 .formed .in the lens. and- ,is. connected to said lens by a pin member 33 which.

extends'within the hollow bore of a tubular member. 34, and which is secured within said hollow bore bysolderonother. suitable adhesive means.

The tubular member 34 is provided with an en= larged head 35 which engages the member .3 I

' to' limit the inner movement .orfsaid-tubular meme. her when the parts are-being assembled. The.

pin member. 33 is also provided with.an enlarged head 36;"which. has an inturnedcircumferential.

edge whichengages the front surface of the lens about. the opening 32.' Thiseircumferential edge.

is. spaced sufiicient1y ,from.the opening .32 to re-.

lieve strain and danger of. chipping the lens ad jacent the. opening.

In Figs. IX and XI there is shown a.fur.ther..-

modification wherein. .thebar-like portions. 31.,

corresponding. to the bar-like portions..2,..l'l, or.v 25,' are provided with downwardly, outwardly and 'rearwardly extending. temple supports 38, which engage. a shouldered end portion 39 formed on.

brace means 40 having ,a portion 4| shaped to. overlie the sfaceofthe lens and.a portion 42 shaped to.engage, the edge of the lens. The shouldered portion, 39 is secured .to the end of the temple support 38 bysolder or like .means. with the outer surfaces of saidportions 38 and.

40 in substantially flush relation with each other. In this particular instance, the shouldered portion 39.is. provided with a hinge connection 43 to which'templ. is pivotally attached. Itis to be. particularly noted that the temple 44is provided with a'shouldered end 45 'whichabuts. the

portion.40 to limit the outward movementQof the temple 44 about the hinge connection 43. The outergsurface's of the portion 40 and .the temple. 44 are adapted "to assume a flush relation with each'other when in the above position.

Portio1i 4V is provided with an opening in alignment vvith =an openin n the n'sj'gn'd'ij secured I to said-lens by pin' n'd tube like connecting means l6 and?which arelintegrally joined bysolderor other suitable adhesive.

, tion whereinthe bar likesupports wj corresponding to the supports 2; are shaped substan ti ally to the same contour shapef as-tlie upper peripheral edgesof thlnses; but are adapted ripheraledges andin a. plane behind the 'plane ofthe 'len'ses. this zparticular instance; 3 the bar-like supports l8 aj're' provided" with rear f wardly 1 extending-end portions 49 which are sef cured to the rear 1 surface of "brace bars iifl to which the temples i are pivotally attached. The

brace bars SO-are' provided with a deflectediforward end 52 which fits over the front surfaces of the lenses I. The portions 52 are not secured to the lenses by attaching means, such as shown in Figs. VII, VIII and IX, but are adapted to be held in position on the lenses by the bar-like portions 48 and are adapted to hold the lenses between said bar-like portions and said deflected ends 52.

The bar-like portions 2, I1, 25, 31, or 48 may be formed of relatively rigid or pliable material,

or may be formed of resilient material, or may i be formed of rigid, pliable or resilient material,-

or may have one or more of the above characteristics, that is, may be formed with different portions having these different characteristics.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, efficient and economical means have been provided for accomplishing an of the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A lens supporting structure for lenses of an ophthalmic mounting each having a connection opening adjacent the nasal and temporal sides thereof spaced inwardly of the adjacent edges f of the lenses, said lens. supporting structure comprising means for connecting the lenses adjacent the nasal sides and a pair of long and slender barlike members secured to said means and shaped substantially to follow the shape of the upper con-. tour edge of eachlens and to overlie only one surface portion of said lens to facilitate adjustment of said bar-like member in the direction of said.

surface portion when assembled with said lenses, lens connection means comprising a perforated ear extending from adjacent one end of each of said bar-like members and adapted to overlie one of the side surfaces of a respective lens and being adapted to be aligned with the connection opening thereof, a washer-like part adapted to be positioned in overlying relation with the other side surface of said lens and with the said connection opening, a hollow tubular part being adapted to extend within the connection opening with the major portion thereof lying between the'perforated ear and the washer-like part and connection means adapted to be extended within said tubular part and to function cooperatively with the perlikemeni'bers secured to? s'aid 'rrieans n substantially to renew th shape of the fun jacent 'surface 'of lensithr'oughbut' its entii'e contour when the "partsfare" being assembled; and

can-

'12.An ophtliali'niomounting em odying amass sembly bomprising lenses each I having a connec sides thereof spacedr inwardly or the adjacent edges or the lenses and "a lens supporting "spree;

,turefor said iehsegsaia lens sul pofrti g ructur cOmprisingrheanS connecting tli lii the nasal sides and a pair-oflorig and f engaging ear and the washer-like part and connection means extending within said tubular part and functioning cooperatively with the perforated ear and the washer-like part to clamp the lens therebetween, said washer-like part being free to be moved bodily into engagement with the adjacent surface of the lens throughout its entire contour and said hollow tubular part being separable from the ear.

3. A lens supporting structure for lensesof an ophthalmic mounting each having a connection opening adjacent the nasal and temporal sides thereof spaced inwardly of the adjacent edges of the lenses, said lenssupporting structure comprising means for connecting the lenses on the nasal sides and a pair of long and slender bar-like members secured to said means and shaped substantially to follow the shape of the upper contour edge of each lens and, throughout the major portion of the length thereof, to overlie only one surface portion of said lens when in position thereon and terminating in a temple supporting end portion on the temporal side of the lens, lens connecting means comprising a perforated ear extending from adjacent one end of each of said bar-like members and adapted to overlie one of the side surfaces of the respective lenses, said perforated ears each being supported by an adjustable brace bar secured adjacent one end thereof to said ear and at its opposite end to the bar-like member adjacent the temple supporting end portion and being lbendable to align the perforation of th ear with the adjacent connection opening in the lens, a washer-like part overlying the other side surface of the lens and the said connection opening, a hollow tubular part adaptforated ear and the washer-like part to clamp the lens therebetween, said washer-like part being free to be moved bodily into engagement with the adthe perforated ear and the washer-like part to clamp the lens therebet-ween, said washer-like part being free to move bodily into engagement with the adjacent surface of the lens throughout its entire contour when the parts are being assembled with the lenses. e

4. An ophthalmic mounting comprising a pair of" lenses each having a connection opening on the nasal and temporal" sides thereof, spaced} inwardly-of the adjacent edges ofsaid lenses, a lens supporting structure for said lenses comprising means connecting the lenses ,adjaycent the'nasa-l sides and, a. pair ofulong and --slender-bar1ike members secured to said means and shaped substantially to follow the uppercontour shape of each lens'and, throughout the -major portion oi the length thereof, to overlie only one surface ofsaid lens and terminating in a. temple supporting endportion on th temporai side of the lens, lens; connection means comprising a perforated ear extending-from adjacent one end of eachioi said bar-like members andeoverlying one of the side surfaces of a respective -1ens,,said lensenga in e rs bein supported by I an adjustable bracehar; securedadjacent one end-thereof -to said ear and -at its oppositeend to* thebar-like member adjacentthe temple end portion; and being bendable to 'alig'n'the perforation in said-ear with the adjacent connection opening in, the lens, a washer-likev part overlying'the-otherv side surface of the lens ,and the said connection opening-,3, hollow tubular part extending within the connection opening with the major-portion thereof lying between the vperforated ear and the washer-like part andconnection-meams extending within said tubular part and'functioning 'co-i operatively with the perforated .ear and the washer-likepart to clamp the lens therebetween, said washer-like part being free to move bodily intoengagement with the adjacent surface-of the "lens throughout its entire contour.

EDWARD Mi SPLAINE. 

